Author: Tim Powers
Publisher: ACE
Binding: Paperback
Publication Date: 1990
Tim Powers’ “The Anubis Gates” weaves together time travel, Egyptian mythology, sorcery and even famous poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Lord Byron into a strange yet compelling tale.
The story opens in England in the early 1800s, with an attempt to summon the god Anubis (guardian of the underworld in Egyptian mythology) by his loyal servants who strive to bring the Egyptian gods back into pre-eminence once more.
The story then jumps briefly to the present with the protagonist, Professor Brendan Doyle, summoned to England by a mysterious millionaire, ostensibly seeking Doyle’s expertise on Coleridge, but whose ultimate purpose is to send Doyle back in time to the 1800s to actually meet Coleridge. Events rapidly spin out of control as Doyle arrives in 1800s London, only to be abducted by gypsies in the employ of the mysterious Doctor Romany, and a conspiracy involving ancient sorcery, the London underworld and a host of bizarre characters rapidly unfolds.
I have to admit that the premise sounded a bit off-kilter at first glance, but Powers manages to pull it off well. The time travel aspect gets involuted at times with characters pursuing one another back and forth through time, let alone “Dogface Joe” and his abilities. In the end, it all comes together for the most part, although there were a few plot points that didn’t seem adequately explained in the context of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed “The Anubis Gates”. A very original idea that could have been poorly executed, but Powers strikes just the right balance, despite a few shortcomings.
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